Hi Library Fans!
Are you ready for August? Here at the big library, all is running smoothly as our Summer Reading Program (for all ages, BTW) is winding up. Here’s a selection of what’s happening in August:
Art quilts by Charbonneau resident Martha Aaron are on display, and ready for purchase here at the library throughout August. Martha has been quilting for over 43 years, and her greatest joy comes from passing on to others – “quilt it forward” so to speak! Last year’s quilts sold quickly, and Martha has returned this year to support the Wilsonville Library Foundation and Wilsonville Friends of the Library. All proceeds from sales will benefit these two worthwhile causes. From me to you, these quilts are really lovely, and very much underpriced for the obvious amount of work that’s gone into them. Thank you Martha!
Sharpen your pencils–If the luminous soul of a writer resides within you, here’s your chance to let it shine through! Wilsonville Library cardholders can enter their brainchildren in our annual (and popular) Short Story Contest from August 1st to 31st. Entries (up to two per entrant) should be 1,500 words or fewer, and previously unpublished. There are also a few more important details, which can be perused at the library’s website: https://www.wilsonvillelibrary.org/lib/page/short-story-contest. Once we’ve received all entries, a crack team of library staff will rank them. Winning writers are eligible to snag fantabulous prizes and the praise of millions!
Remember that your only bookstore in Wilsonville is here at the library! The Twice Sold Tales Bookstore is in the lobby, and run by volunteers of the Wilsonville Friends of the Library. Like Martha’s quilts, all proceeds go to support Library programs. To learn more (or even volunteer!) please visit the Friends online at wilsonvillefriends.org
Do you like crafts? If so, you now have access to one of the premier databases for crafting in the universe! Creativebug offers thousands of online video arts and crafts workshops and techniques. Learn how to paint, knit, crochet, sew, screen print, and much more. Get online anytime with your Wilsonville library card from our database page: https://refweb.lincc.org/?keys=creativebug. I’m going to learn to knit a Masarati!
Could you or someone you know use the assistance of Oregon’s Department of Human Services? DHS employee Jared is available on a drop-in basis every Tuesday in August (the 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th) to help all comers with navigating the bureaucratic maze of signing up for benefits or just discovering what help may be available for those needing assistance with food, housing, or other necessities.
We haven’t forgotten programs this month either! On Wednesday, August 3rd, at 11am, please join us online via Zoom for the latest Profiles presentation of the deservedly lionized Dr. Bill Thierfelder. Dr. Thierfelder will present an online lecture on the recently departed Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a brilliant jurist who spent much of her legal career as an advocate for gender equality and women’s rights. Ginsburg won many arguments before the Supreme Court, before becoming a Justice herself. As a member of the Court, Ginsburg received increasing attention in American popular culture for her rulings and passionate dissents in numerous cases. This program focuses on her life and several of the landmark cases with which she was involved. It’s free, so please sign up online (at our website) to receive the Zoom meeting code.
On Friday, August 5th, at 6pm, we present our ever-popular First Friday Films series for the month of August. The title of this month’s movie, as always, cannot be disclosed due to stupid copyright laws, but is about a LOST CITY (PG-13) wherein a shy romance novelist on a book tour with her muscly cover model gets embroiled in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure. Hey! Free snacks too, although you may want to bring a small pillow to counteract the effects of our hard plastic stackable chairs, apparently designed to keep meetings short. See you there!
The fun and hair-raising thrills of…Genealogy Club will return to the library on Monday, August 15th at 1pm. The agenda has yet to be determined, but a quick check of the website or a phone call can elucidate all. Join us, and bring your ancestor-related questions!
Well, if genealogy doesn’t float your boat, then how about donating some blood to the Red Cross? We’re hosting a blood drive on Friday, August 19th, all day. Here’s the thing—These blood drives are almost always ‘sold out’ on the day, due to kind and generous donation volunteers calling ahead for appointments. And you can too! Visit the Red Cross Blood Donation site at https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html (would you believe there’s even an app!?) or call them at 1-800-733-2767. Thank you!
On Wednesday, August 10th, at 6:30, please join us in person for a Wildfire Prevention Presentation from TVF&R. WilsonvilleReady, a year-long campaign to help community members be more prepared for emergencies, is welcoming Deputy Fire Marshal Stephanie McKee of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue to lead a presentation about how to prepare your home for wildfire season, which, despite all the rain, has finally arrived!
On Thursday, August 18th at 1pm, join me—Greg—as we go on a walk from the library to the deepest recesses of Memorial Park and talk about books and literary things for between a half-hour and an hour. It’s a new program designed to get the body and brain to move together. Personally, I’m hoping for donuts too! We’ll be discussing an as-yet unpicked literary theme rather than a specific book and we should have fun in the telling. Join me and the other hearty souls on our inaugural trek!
If you’ve visited the library recently, you’ve probably seen the hoards of children running about the building trying to find all the clues for the scavenger hunt—This has proven so popular that we’re making it a regular library activity. And hooray—a new one hits the stage this month. If you’re a veteran, come and do our new hunt. If you’re a newbie, come and see what fun you can have. Staff even has clues for the frustrated!
On Saturday, August 27th from 1-3pm, join us for Reading the Holocaust. Presenter David Rutiezer will explore some lesser-known writings on the Holocaust, with a focus on diarists, especially by local survivors in the Portland, Oregon area. There’ll be a chance to read excerpts together and discuss reactions, as well as a reading and resource list for further study and exploration.
Here’s hoping you have a wonderful August. But if not—Our air conditioning works great!
Source: Greg Martin, Wilsonville Public Library.